Executive Summary

An Institute of Marriage and Family Canada poll released earlier this year showed that 76% of Canadians believe it is best for children under six to be cared for at home by a parent. This result was consistent regardless of income, gender or working arrangements. It also held, to a lesser extent, across regional lines.

In this analysis, we examine how the poll results are affected by education level.1

The majority of educated Canadians believe a child under six is better off at home with a parent. Canadians prefer this over a competent caregiver. However, support for parental care drops at higher education levels.

While 76% of Canadians as a whole prefer parental care, that number dips to 68% for those who have completed a university degree. For those who have a post-graduate degree, it is 62%.

The greatest support for parental care was found among Canadians with technical degrees (79%) and those with some university experience but not a complete degree (80%).